Well drilling rig



Oct. 1952 A. R. MAIER ET AL 2,613,059

WELL DRILLING RIG.

Filed June 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig. 1.

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INVENTOR. Job/2 W. Jacaby Augwz R Ma/er' Tf/E/R A TOR/VE Y Oct. 7, 1952 A. R. MAIER ET AL 2,613,059

WELL DRILLING RIG Filed June 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jig. .2. z

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WELL DRILLING RIG Filed June 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 /64 fig. 6.

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' INVENTOR. JO/M V Jacalgg/ August ff. Na/er' THE/R ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL DRILLING RIG August R. Maier and John W. Jacoby, Oil City, Pa., assignors to United States Steel Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 5, 1946, Serial No. 674,612

' This invention relates to a well drilling rig of the rotary drilling typeand more particularly to a multiple engine drive for such rig.

The invention has among its objects the provision of awell drilling rig. with a multiple engine drive, such drive being characterized by its simplicity, its compact arrangement, and its flexibility of operation and control. i i

A further object of the. invention liesin the provision of a multiple. engine drive capable of easy disassembly into a small number of ,easily transportable units thedesign being such that it is unnecessary to disconnect chain drives within the driving unit in effecting such disassembly. The driving unit is so constructed as to allow simple removal of the engines, the removal of some of the engines not interfering with the operation of the drivingunit.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of safety'controls for the pump clutches of the drilling rig driving unit whereby operation of such clutches fromthe central control station.

isprevented before actuation of safety controls.

positioned at the clutches.

These and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent :in the followingwdescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the preferred embodiment described and illustrated a driving unit employing three engines is disclosed. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be employed with anynumber of engines from andincluding two or more, the

number chosen depending upon the powerjre-,

quirements of the drilling rig. l p

In a multiple engine drive, of which the triple engine drive disclosed is typical, for drivingv the drawworks, one or more slush pumps,'and iflde sired, the rotary of a drilling rig, it is desirable to have the assembly completely unitized and of compact construction. It is of particuluar importance tohave the drive unit arranged so that it can be easily disassembled in moving from one location to another without having to take apart too many sub-assemblies or exposing any vital parts to damage or dirt. It is also desirable to have a compact arrangement so that the unit occupies aminimum of space on the drilling rig, and so that the drive has no shafts, clutches, or chains which have to be removed when moving from one location to another except for the one chain or driving means between the drive unit and the,

drawworks. It is also very desirable, in orderto provide utmost flexibility, that, if necessary, one or more of the engines may be disconnectedfrom sion shafts and the compounding drive, certain clutch control mechanism for one such clutch, the view being takenirom the plane VIP-VII in H 50 5 Claims. (01. 255-19) the driving unit so as to permit work thereon while operation of the rig is continued by the remainin engines.

The multiple engine driving unit for the drilling rig of the present invention complies with the above requirements by the provision of a novel construction permitting the disassembly of the drive unit, in the case of a three engine drive, into four major sub-assemblies. Such four sub-assemblies consist of thethree engines, each mount- 7 ed on its own skid. and the compound drive assembly on its skid type base whichilies across the rear ends of the engine skids. When an auxiliary slush pump is employed, one of the engine skids may be made longer than the other two to allow the mounting of an auxiliary pump drive on the rear, thereof, such pump drive being driven through a further engine extension shaft connect ed to the corresponding engine and the compounding drive.

l The invention willbe' more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in i which? i i V Figure I isa view in end elevationof an oil well drilling rig provided with a' drive-unit in accordance withthe presentinventionf Figure 2 is a view in plan of the drive unit and associated elements of the drilling-rig shownin Figure, 1; p

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the engine skids, the

compound drive skids, and the auxiliary pump drive skids in assembledposition; 1

Figure 4 is a schematic view in plan of the drivingmechanism of the drive" unit and the safety controls for the pump clutches; l

Figure 5 isa schematic view in end elevation of the structureshown in Figure 4:, further show- 1 ing the position of the safety controls for the pump clutches Figure 6 is a view in plan of the engine extenparts being shown in section;

Figure 6A is a View in plan of the auxiliary pump drive oh the extension shaitof the center engine, certain parts being shownin :cross sec tion;

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the pump Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the clutch control mechanism shown in Figura the view being taken along the line VIIIV .II in Figure 7; and

Figure 9, is a view, in side elevationoi' an .auxil iary manual clutch cotrol lever which may be employed in an alternative mode of control of the pump drive clutches.

The multiple engine driving unit of the present invention, designated generally by the reference character 2, is designed to drive the drawworks 4 of an oil well drilling rig, as shown in gine 34, Figures 1 and 2, through the medium of multiple belts I6 in a manner more fully to be described. In the design shown, a second, auxiliary, slush pump 8 mounted on its skids I2 is also driven by the unit through the medium of multiple belts l8, the drive for such second pump being provided by the auxiliary pump drive 42 connected to the rear end of the extension shaft of the center engine. driving unit issupported by a structure 24 providing an elevated platform, and the drawworks is supported partially on such platform and partially on av further supporting structure I 4 which may likewise support the rotary (not shown). Driving of the drawworks is effected through the chain 20, shown in Figure 1, which is enclosed in the oil bath guard 22. When the. driving unit is disassembled for transportation it is necessary to disconnect chain 20 and guard 22 to permit separation of the drawworks from the driving unit. i

The driving unit is provided with three inter.-

nal combustion engines 26, SI and- 3'4, each of which is provided with its own supporting skids 28, 32, and 36; respectively, As more clearly shown in Figure 3, the compounding drive 38, which permits the selective connection. of the engines together to drive one or more of the driven units such as the drawvv'orks, pumps, and.

rotary, is provided with its supporting skids 40 which rest across and are secured to the rear ends of the engine skids as shown in Figure: 3. In the particulardesignv illustrated, as aboveexplained, two slush pumps are employed The drive 42 for the auxiliary slush pump8ismounted upon skids 44 which rest upon the rear end of the center engine skids 32 as. shown in Figure 3. such center engine skids being longer than the skids of the two outer engines.

Figure 4 showsschematically the lay-out of the major elements of the driving unit. As shown, each engine drives an .air compressor so as to provide compressed air. at the rig for operation of the various clutches and for various pieces of auxiliary air driven equipment. The air compressor driven by engine 26 throughthe medium of. multiple belts 50 is designated 48 Each of the three air compressors feeds into air tanks 43 (Figure 4) from which it is distributed to various parts of the rig through pipes not shown.

Engine 26 is provided with an extension shaft 52 supported in main bearings 54 in the form of pillow blocks which in turn are supported on suitable supporting members connected to the compounding drive skids 40'. Connection between engine 26 and shaft 52 is efiected by means of the selectively operable flexible coupling 56 which.

will. be morefully described below. Beyond coupling 56 there is positioned on shaft 52 the selectively operable mechanical clutch 58 which when engaged secures the compounding sheave 60 for rotation with shaft 52, and when disengaged allows the sheave to rotate freely With respect to As shown. in Figure, 1, the

' supplied. through pipe. I62.

the shaft. Also mounted on shaft 52 is the drawworks driving sheave 62 which is selectively secured for rotation with the shaft and freed therefrom by engagement and disengagement, respectively, of the air operated friction clutch 54.

The center engine 30 is provided with an extension shaft 66 journaled in main bearings 68 likewise supported on skids 40. Engine 38 is connected to shaft 66 through the flexible coupling 10 similar to the coupling 56 which is employed with engine 26. Shaft 66 is provided with a multiple compounding sheave 72, one end of which is connected to sheave fill on shaft 52 by the multiple compounding chain i i. The center engine drives the auxiliary pump drive 32 by means of the second extension shaft 78 journaled in bearings 8i). supported from the auxiliary pump drive skids 44, shaft 18 being positioned coaxial of extension shaft 66 and'being connected thereto by means of the removable flexible coupling 15 the construction of which will be more fully explained in. the discussion of Figure 6A. Positioned on shaft I8 is the multiple sheave 82 which receives the multiple belts 18 for driving .auxiliary'slush pump 8; The auxiliary pump drive is provided. with an adjustable belt tightener pulley 85, whereby the tension of belts It may be suitably adjusted.

The third engine 34 isv provided with an exten sion. shaft 86 supported inv bearings 33 attached to skids 40. The connection between the engine and the extension shaft is provided by flexible coupling 89 which i'ssimilar to those employed with the two other engines. Shaft 86 is provided with a compounding drive sheavedll over which and the left hand portion of sheave '52 on shaft 66 (Figure 4-)- run the multiple compounding chains 92. Sheave 90 maybe selectively clutched to and disengaged from shaft 86 by the opera-- tion of thecompounding drive clutch 94. Also positioned on shaft '86 is the main pump drive sheave-96 which may be driven by or disengaged shown schematically in Figure 4 at I04 and I65,

respectively. The air for operating such motors is In normal operation air is delivered to such pipe by the operation of suitable control valves (not shown) positionedat the central control. station. The. servomotors. and. their connection to the clutch operating means are such that the. clutches are engaged. when. air is delivered from tanks 53 through pipe I02, which are connected to said tanks, to said motors and are disengaged when air; is shut-off therefrom. Because the driving unit andassociated elements of the drilling rig are quite large and the slush pumps thus cannot readily be seen. from the central control station, safety means. are provided in the, clutch control system so that'theslush pumps cannot be operated; from such central portion while anyone is Working on the pumps. Such safety controls consist of shut-offs I08 and III! positioned in the delivery pipes to servomotors I M and I 66, respectively, in the positions shown in Figures 4 and 5. Whenever repairs or adjustments must be made to either or both of the slush pumps,

the appropriate one or both of the shut-offs I08 and H0 areclosed. Operation of the'pump drive clutches is therefore prevented by operation of the controls at the central station until the safety shut-offs adjacent the clutches are again opened.

The structure of the compounding drive,the three-engine extension shafts, and the drives for the two slush pumps is shown more clearly in Figures 6 and 6A. The construction of the flexible couplings 58, III, and 89 will be better understood by the following description of such coupling I0 provided between the central engine and its extension shaft. The particular flexible coupling shown is one known as the Fawick Airflex clutch, which is made by the Fawick Airflex Company. Such coupling consists of an inner drum I I2 bolted to the end face of the flywheel of the engine, the flywheel not being shown in the figure, such inner drum cooperating with the outer drum II4 which is keyed to the forward end of shaft 65. The outer drum carries on its inner peripheral surface an inflatable friction element I I6 which is generally in the nature of a flattened automobile tire. The sizes and spacing of parts H2, H4, and [I6 are such that when the'infiatable element is deflated itsis free from contact with the inner drum and thus there is no driving connection between the engine and extension shaft. A particular engine therefore may be worked upon while idle, while the rig is driven by the other engines, merely by disconnecting the Airflex clutch for that particular engine. Furthermore,

an engine may be removed altogether from the unit simply by being slid axially away from the extension shaftyafter being disconnected from its skids, upon deflation of element I [6.

Air for the inflation of the element I I6 is provided through inlet pipe IIB connected to the radial pipe I20 leading to the central bore I22 extending axially through the engine extension shaft 66. Each of the other flexible couplings 56 and 89 has a similar construction, in both cases air for the inflatable element being supplied through the axial bore I24 in the engine extension shafts 52 and 85. Air from a suitable compressed air source such as the tanks 43 and controlled by suitable means, not shown, at the I central control station, is supplied to the Airflex clutches through means such as flexible conduits I28 and connecting means I26 which preserve a fluid tight joint when the engine extension shafts rotate and the conduits I28 remain static-nary. Because of the connection of the auxiliary slush pump driving means to the end of the central engine extension shaft 65, the means-for supplying air to th central bore I22 is somewhat modified. Such constructionwill be explained, in connection with Figure 6A.

In some instances it is desired to drive an engine extension shaft from the motor when there has been a failure in the air supply system. In such case connection of the engine and the shaft by the usual operation of the Airflex clutch coupling is not possible. For this reason it is preabove explained, off the rear end of extension shaft of the central engine. In order to permit the ready removal of the compounding drive 38 mounted on skids without the necessity of disturbing the auxiliary pump drive 42, there is provided the flexible coupling I6 between the shaft 66 and the shaft I8 of the'auxiliary pump drive. As shown in Figure 6A there is permanently affixed on the outer end of shaft 66 be- 'yond the outer bearing or pillow block 58 a sleeve hub I40. A similar hub I46 is affixed to the for-- ward end of the shaft I8 beyond the bearing. or pillow block 80 of the auxiliary pump drive. The

hubs I40 and I46 are secured tothe ends of their respective shafts in any conventional manner, for example by welding. An. end housing I42 of the coupling engages the hub I40 and a similar end housing I48 engages hub I46 through the medium of loosely engaging radial teeth upon the hubs and housings. A double flanged outer cylindricalspacer I44 bolted as shown between the end housings completes the coupling. Because of the manner of engagementybetween the hubs and the end housings the coupling affords some degree of flexibility to compensate for slight misalignment of the shafts 66 and I8. Compressed air for operating the Airflex clutch 10 is transmitted through the rotary connection I52, which is similar to members I26, through an axial bore in the shaft I8 (not shown) and through the bore I22 in, shaft 65, connection between the bore in shaft I8 and the bore I22 being effected by the tube 'I5I within coupling I6. I

Tube I5I may be threaded into. the bore in each such shaft, or it may be mounted in stuffing boxes positioned axially at the end of each shaft.

The compounding drive may be removed from the driving unit by deflating the couplings 56, IO, and 89, taking the spacer I44 out of flexible coupling I6, and sliding the compounding drive away from the engines.

The. means for operating the pump drive clutches 84 and 98 are the same and will be excam having a. tapered, somewhat rounded, forferred to equip each Airflex clutch with a mechanical auxiliary driving means as shown in Figure 6 in connection with coupling Ill. The inner drum II2 of the coupling is provided with a radially extendin ear I29 having a tapped hole I3I therethrough. There is provided a hole I34 in the radial Web of the inner drum I I4, such hole being alignedv with the hole I3 I. Upon failward end and a generally cylindrical rear end adjacent collar I32. The thrusting of the collar toward the clutch housing causes the forward end of the cam I toengage bell crank levers, not shown, and thus gradually to cause engagement of the clutch as the ends of such levers ride further up on the cam. When the clutch is. fully engaged, the ends of the clutch operating levers engage the rearward cylindrical portion ofthe cam so that the collar and cam, when thus thrust completely forward, have a tendin Figure 8, the other end of the shaft being provided with the depending lever I58 likewise keyed thereto. Movement of lever I154 .in a clockwise direction in Figure 7 thrusts collar I32 toward the clutch housing to engage the clutch 9.8, and counterclockwise motion of the lever retracts the collar I32 to disengage the clutch. .Connected to the lever 158 is the servomotor I06 to the rearend of which is connected the air supply pipe I02. Likewise connected to lever 158 is the tension spring I50 which urges lever I'54 toward the clutch disengaging position. When airis admitted to motor Hi6, lever I58 and consequently lever I'M are urged clockwise (Figure 7) toward the clutch engaging position, the limit of movement in this direction being determined by means of the adjustable stop I62, which consists of a stud threaded through a fixed portion of the supporting structure, the forward end of the stud being engaged'by the rear side of lever I58.

In some instances, such as the failure of the air supply discussed above in connection with the alternative mode of operation of the Airflex couplings, it may be necessary to control the pump drive clutches manually. To permit such manual operation of the clutches the upper forked ends of each clutch operatinglever, as typified by lever I54, are provided with oppositely extending horizontal ears I64, each of which is providedwith a vertical hole I56. Such ears are designed to receive the parallel prongs I14 of the manual clutch operating lever I68 shown in Figure 9, such lever being provided with a handle H0 at its upper end.

In the event that the pump clutches are to be controlled manually the tension spring I60 on lever I58 is disconnected. Thereupon, lever I68 is inserted with the ends 114 through the holes I66 so that the lever I55 may be shifted by use of the lever I68 to engage or disengage the clutch. The structure of the clutch is such, as explained above that, with the spring IEO disconnected, cam I55 will stay stably in either the clutch engaging or disengaging position when moved thereto.

Whereas we have shown and described a particular modification of the drive unit for the rotary drilling rig of our invention, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of considerable variation, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We desire to claim as new the following.

We claim:

1. In a rotary drilling apparatus including a drawworks, a main slush pump, and an auxiliary slush pump, the combination of a multiple engine drive unit comprising a plurality of parallel engines having driving shaftsat their rear ends, a compounding drive unit positioned across the rear ends. of the engines at right angles to the engine shafts, said compounding drive unitinclu'ding an extension shaft for each engine, selectively engageable coupling means between each engine shaft and its extension shaft, means on said extension shafts to connect the extension shafts selectively to drive the drawworks, means on one of said extension shafts selectively to drive the main slush pump, and an auxiliary drive means connected to another of said extension shafts selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, said auxiliary drive means comprising a support fixed relatively to the compounding drive unit, a driven shaft supported thereby and positioned in line with the last named extension shaft, a removable coupling including a spacer element between the last named extension shaft and the driven shaft of the auxiliary driving means, and means on the driven shaft selectively to drive theauxiliary slush pump,the compounding driving unit being removable from the engines as .a unit when the couplings between the engines and the extension shafts are disengaged and the spacer element is removed.

2. Ina rotary drilling apparatus including a drawworks, a main slush pump, and an auxiliary slush pump-the combination of a multiple engine drive unit comprising a plurality of parallel engine skids, a driving engine mounted on the forward end of each skid, the engines being positioned parallel to each other and having driving shafts at their rear ends, a skid lying on the engine skids and fastened thereto at right angles to the engine shafts, a compounding drive unit mounted on said last named skid and including an extension shaft for each engine, selectively engageable coupling means between each engine shaft .and its extension shaft, means on said extension shafts selectively to connect the extension shafts driving together, means on a first one of the extension shafts selectively to drive the drawworks, means on a second extension shaft selectively to drive the main slush pump, and an auxiliary drive unit driven by a third extension shaft, said auxiliary drive unit comprising skids mounted across the rear end of the skids carrying the engine driving the'third extention shaft, a driven shaft supported by the auxiliary drive means skids in line with the third extension shaft, a coupling including a removable spacer element connecting said driven shaft to the third extension shaft, and means on the driven shaft of the auxiliary drive means selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, the compounding drive unit being removable from the engines as a unit when the couplings between the engines and the extension shafts are disengaged and the spacer element is removed.

3. In a rotary drilling apparatus including a drawworks, a main slush pump, and an auxiliary slush pump, the combination of a multiple engine drive unit comprising a plurality of parallel engines having-driving shafts at their rear ends, a compounding drive unit positioned across the rear ends of the engines at right angles to the engine shafts, said compounding drive unit ineluding an extension shaft for each engine and means selectively to connect the extension shafts drivingly together, selectively engageable coupling means between each engine shaft and its extension shaft, said coupling means comprising a driven drum connected to the engine shaft, a drum telescoping therewith on the engine extension shaft, and inflatable friction means mounted between the drums to provide a driving connection between them when inflated, means on said extension shafts selectively to connect the extension shafts selectively to drive the drawworks, means on one of said extension shafts selectively to drive the main slush pump, an auxiliary drive means connected to'another of said extension shafts selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, said auxiliary drive means comprising a supportfixed relatively to the compounding drive unit, a driven shaft supported thereby and positioned in line with the last named extension shaft, a coupling including a removable spacer element between the last named extension shaft and the driven shaft of the auxiliary driving means, said spacer element having a length somewhat exceeding the distance of telescope of the two drums of the coupling means between each engine shaft and its extension shaft, and means on the driven shaft selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, the compounding driving unit being removable from the engines as a unit when the couplings between the engines and the extension shafts are disen gaged and the spacer element is removed.

4. In a rotary drilling apparatus including a drawworks, a main slush pump and an auxiliary slush pump, the combination of a multiple engine drive unit comprising a plurality of parallel engines having driving shafts at their rear ends, a compounding drive unit positioned across the rear ends of the engines at right angles to the engine shafts, said compounding drive unit including an extension shaft for each engine, selectively engageable coupling means between each engine shaft and its extension shaft, means on said extension shafts selectively to connect the extension shafts selectively to drive the drawworks, means on one of said extension shafts selectively to drive the main slush pump, an auxiliary drive means connected to another of said extension shafts selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, said auxiliary drive means comprising a support fixed relatively to the compounding drive unit, a driven shaft supported thereby and positioned in line with the last named extension shaft, a coupling including a removable spacer element between the last named extension shaft and the driven shaft of the auxiliary driving means, and means on the driven shaft selectively to drive the auxiliary slush pump, the compounding driving unit being removable from the engines as a unit when the couplings between the engines and the extension shafts are disengaged and the spacer element is removed, the means for driving each of the slush pumps including a selectively engageable clutch, fluid operated means for shifting such clutch from a central control station including a fluid supply line from the control station to the fluid operated means in the vicinity of each clutch, and a safety means for preventing undesired engagement of each clutch from the central control station, said safety means including a manual shut-off in the supply line to the clutch operating fluid operated means in the vicinity of each clutch.

5. In a rotary drilling apparatus including a drawworks and a slush pump, the combination of a multiple engine drive unit comprising a plurality of parallel engine skids, a driving engine mounted on the forward endof each skid, the engines being positioned parallel to each other and having driving shafts at their rear ends, a skid lying on the engine skids and fastened thereto in a position at right angles to the engine shafts, a compounding drive unit supported by the last mentioned skid and located at right angles to the engine shafts, said compounding drive unit including an extension shaft for each engine, selectively engageable coupling means between each engine shaft and its extension shaft, means on said extension shaft selectively to connect the extension shafts drivingly together, means on one of the extension shafts selectively to drive the drawworks, and means on another of the extension shafts selectively to drive the slush pump, the compounding drive unit being removable from the engines as a unit when the couplings are disengaged, said pump driving means including a selectively engageable clutch, a lever for shifting said clutch, and a fluid operated means connected to said lever for operating the lever, the clutch shifting lever having means thereon permitting connection of a manual clutch operating lever permitting shifting of the clutch in the event of the failure of the fluid supply to the fluid operated clutch shifting means.

AUGUST R. MAIER. JOHN W. JACOBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,360,394 Gordon Nov. 30, 1920 1,990,810 Young Feb. 12, 1935 2,026,709 Sheldon Jan. 7, 1936 2,071,778 Walne Feb. 23, 1937 2,096,150 Walne Oct. 19, 1937 2,171,994 Riise Sept. 5, 1939 2,237,864 Fawick Apr. 8, 1941 2,243,156 Howe et a1 May 27, 1941 2,246,478 Guier June 17, 1941 2,251,443 Fawick Aug. 5, 1941 2,251,445 Fawick Aug. 5, 1941 2,331,180 Gasser Oct. 5, 1943 2,351,851 Young June 20, 1944 2,354,174 Schmitter July 18, 1944 2,405,546 Archer Aug. 13, 1946 2,462,944 Cardwell et al. Mar. 1, 1949 2,536,483 Young Jan. 2, 1951 2,576,872 Young Nov. 27, 1951 

